Ignition switch



Sept. 18, 1934. N. w. WAGGONER IGNITION SWITCH Filed Jan. 31, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Inventor flak/917 aggom i' Sept. 18, 1934.

N. w. WAGGONER IGNITION SWITCH Filed Jan, 31, 1933 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 inventor MW/Z 1: @WW

Patented Sept. 18, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 4 Claims.

The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in switches and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, a switch embodying a novel 8 construction, combination and arrangement of parts through the medium of which the ignition circuit of engines, and particularly aeroplane and other aircraft engines, may be expeditiously grounded before the current reaches the engine, thus materially reducing the hazard of fire should an accident occur.

Other objects of the invention are to provide an ignition control switch of the aforementioned character which will be simple in construction,

18 strong, durable, highly eflicient and reliable in operation, compact and which may be manufactured at low cost.

All of the foregoing and still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a study of the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, and wherein:

85 Figure 1 is a view partially in side elevation and partially in vertical section of an embodiment of the present invention, showing the switch in open position.

Figure 2 is a view substantially similar to Figure 1, showing the switch in closed position.

Figure 3 is an elevational view of the switch with the pivoted lever and the parts on said lever removed.

Figure 4 is a view substantially similar to Figures 1 and 2 but showing the position of the parts just prior to the locking of the switch in closed position.

Figure 5 is a view in side elevation of the switch.

Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view.

Figure 7 is an elevational view of a modified form of the invention.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that the reference numeral 1 designates the upper portion of a control stick or lever of an aeroplane having a portion thereof cut away or recessed, as at 2, to accommodate a lever 3 which is hingedly mounted on said stick 1, as at 4. The stick 1 and the lever 3 have opposed recesses therein constituting a chamber in which the switch mechanism is mounted, said mechanism being designated generally by the reference numeral 5.

The mechanism 5 includes a plate 6 which is mounted in the stick 1 and upon the lower portion of which is fixed a bracket 7. A binding post 8 is connected with the bracket 7. Pivotally mounted on the bracket 7 is a switch blade 9 which is engageable with an electrically insulated resilient contact 10. The reference numeral 11 designates a binding post which is engaged or connected with the contact 10. The insulation for the contact 10 is indicated at 12. The binding post 11 is also electrically insulated from adjacent portions of the stick 1 and the plate 6. Pivotally connected, at one end, to an intermediate portion of the blade 9 is a link 13 which has its other end pivotally connected to a bracket 14 which is mounted in the lever 3. It will thus be seen that the blade 9 is connected to the lever 3 for actuation by said lever.

The reference numeral 15 designates a metallic bar which is pivotally connected to the lever 3, as at 16. The free end portion of the bar 15 is slidably engaged in a guide 1'7 which is mounted in the stick 1. A coil spring 18 is mounted on the bar 15 and has one end engaged with the guide 17 and its other end engaged with a washer 19 which is mounted on the pivoted end portion of said bar 15 for yieldingly urging the lever 3 away from the stick 1. A stop pin 20 is mounted transversely in the free end portion of the bar 15 and is engag'eable with the guide 17 for limiting the movement of the lever 3 away from the stick 1 under impulsion by the spring 18. The brackets 14 and 16 are mounted on a plate 21 in the recess of the lever 3.

Mounted on the plate 6 above the guide 1'7 is a substantially U-shaped bracket 22 having journaled therein a shaft 23 (see Figure 3). Mounted on one end portion of the shaft 23 is a pair of spaced disks 24 which are connected with each other {or rotation in unison. The disks 24 have formed therein transversely aligned peripheral notches 25, the purpose of which will be present- 1y set forth. Mounted on one of the disks 24 is a ratchet 26 with which a pawl 27 is engaged, said pawl being pivotally mounted on the lever 3, thus connecting said ratchet 26 and the disks 24 to' the lever for actuation thereby. The pawl 27 is pivotally mounted between brackets 28 on the plate 21 in the recess of the lever 3. A spring 29 is connected to the pawl 27 for yieldingly main--- taining said pawl in operative engagement with the ratchet 26. A pawl 30 is pivotally mounted, as at 31, in the upper portion of the recess of the stick 1 and is engaged with the ratchet 26 for retaining said ratchet against retrograde movement. A spring 32 yieldingly maintains the pawl 30 in engagement with the ratchet 26. The referthe drawings.

ence numeral 33 designates a spacing collar which is mounted on the shaft 23 between the ratchet 26 and one end oi the bracket 22.

The reference numeral 34 designates a latch which is pivotally mounted, as at 35, on an upper portion of the'plate 6 in the stick 1. The latch 34 constitutes means for releasably securing, the switch in closed position against the tension of the coil spring 18, said latch being engageable with a hook 36 which is mounted on the plate 21 in the recess of the lever 3. The plate 21 is provided with an opening 37 in its upper por-- tion for the passage of the latch 34 and the lever 3 is provided with a socket 38 which accommodates said latch 34. i

The upper portions of the spaced disks 24. are on opposite sides of the latch 34. Mounted transversely on an intermediate portion of the latch 34 is a pin 39 which is engageable on the peripheries of the disks 2d and in the notches 25 of said disks, as illustrated to advantage in Figures 1 and 2 of The latch 3% is yieldingly urged toward operative position by a coil spring 40. The reference numeral 41 designates an adjustable stop for the lever 3 which is mounted in the stick 1. r

as best seen in Figure 6 of the drawings, the binding post 11 is electrically connected by a conductor wire 42 with the positive side of the conventional ignition switch 43 of the aeroplane or other vehicle. The reference numeral 4 indicates the magneto with which the switch 43 is connected, as at 45. The binding post 3 of the switch constituting the present invention is grounded, as at 46.

Briefly, the operation or" the switch is as follows:--

The lever 3 is normally in the position shown in Figure l oi. the drawings, in which position the blade 9 is disengaged from the contact 10, thus permitting the electric current to flow to. the spark plugs of the engine in the usual manner. Also, when the lever 3 is in this position, the pin 33 is engaged on the peripheries oi the disks 24, thus supporting the latch 34. in raised position against the tension of the spring 40. When the lever 3 is swung toward the stick 1 the blade 3 is engaged with the contact 10, thus grounding the current before it reaches the engine. When the lever 3 is thus actuated, the pawl 27, through the medium of the ratchet 26, moves the disks 24 sufi-' ciently to bring a pair of the notches 25 beneath the transverse pin 39, thus permitting the latch 34 to swing downwardly into engagement with the hook 36 for locking the switch in closed position.

As seen in Figure 1 of the drawings, the con struction and arrangement is such that limited inward movement of the lever 3 is had before the pawl 27 engages the opposed tooth of the ratchet 26 for moving the disks 24. When the lever 3 has been moved through this idle portion of its inward stroke, the pawl 2'7 engages the opposed tooth of the ratchet 26 and the disks 2% are rotated to bring a pair of the notches 25 beneath the pin 39, as previously explained. At this time,

v the free end portion of the latch 34 has been projected slightly beyond the hook 36 into the openling 3'7 and the socket 38 of the lever 3, as seen in Figure d of the drawings, and in this position the latch is supported in raised position by the hook 36. Then, the lever 3 is released and is swung outwardly a limited distance by the coil spring 18 and the latch 34 swings downwardly into opera-- tive engagement with the hook 36 ior arresting the outwardly swinging lever 3. It will be noted arass).

that when the latch 34 swings downwardly into operative engagement with the hook 36, the pin 39 seats in a pair of the transversely aligned notches 25 of the disks 2s. Also, when the lever 3 is moved outwardly until arrested by the latch 34, the pawl 27 drops behind the next tooth of the ratchet 26. As previously stated, the pawl 30 secures the ratchet 26 and the disks 24 against retrograde movement. To open the switch, the lever 3 is again swung inwardly, the latch 34 being raised by the hook 36 and the pawl 27 again movingthe disks as to present the peripheries of said disks to the pin 39 for retaining the latch 34' in raised position. The lever 3 is then free to swing outwardly under impulsion by the coil numeral 47 designates a covering of suitable flexible material which encloses the stick 1 and the lever 3. .The upper portion of the stick 1 and the lever 3 are formed to provide a handle or gripping portion, as indicated at 48. One side of the recess in the stick 1 in which the switch mechanism 5 is mounted is closed by a removable plate 49 which permits access to be had to said switch mechanism.

In Figure '7 of the drawings, the invention is shown embodied in a control wheel which is designated by the reference numeral 50. In this modlfication, a section of the inner periphery of the wheel 56 is cut away to provide a recess 51. The reference numeral 52 designates an arcuate switch actuating lever which is operable in the recess 51, said lever being pivotally connected to the wheel 50, as at 53. The switch mechanism in this modified form of the invention is substan= tially the same as the mechanism 5 in Figures 1 to 6, inclusive, of the drawings.

It is believed that the many advantages oi an ignition switch constructed in accordance with the present invention will be readily understood, and although the preferred embodiments of the invention are as illustrated and described, it is Bil to be understood that further modifications and lever for actuation thereby, means for normally holding the lever in circuit opening position, latch means for holding the lever in circuit closing position, and means for releasing the latch means-and positively holding such means in W leasing position by manual movement of the V lever toward the control member, from the latched position of the lever.

2. An ignition switch comprising, in combi nation, a vehicle control member, a switch mount= ed on the control member, a lever pivotally mounted on the control member, means connecting the switch to the lever for actuation thereby, and coacting means on the control member and the lever for releasably locking said lever in circuit closing position, the last named means including a hook, a latch operatively engageable with the hook, a pin mounted transversely on the latch, disks rotatably mounted on the control member and engageable with the pin for supporting the latch injnoperative position, said disks having notches therein for the reception of the pin for releasing the latch, andmeans connecting the disks to the lever for actuation by said lever.

3. An ignition switch comprising, in combination, a vehicle control member, a lever pivotally mounted on the control member, a switch mounted on the control member, means operatively connecting the switch to the lever for actuation thereby, a latch pivotallymounted on the control member, means on the lever engageable with the latch for releasably locking the lever in circuit closing position, means for yieldingly urging the latch toward operative position, a pair of spaced disks rotatably mounted on the control member, said disks straddling the latch, a pin mounted transversely on the latch and engageable on the disks for supporting the latch in inoperative position, the disks having notches therein for the reception of the pin for permitting the latch to move to operative position, a ratchet connected to the disks, a pawl pivotally mounted on the lever and engaged with the ratchet for actuating the disks in one direction, means for preventing rotation of the ratchet in the opposite direction, and means for yieldingly urging the lever toward inoperative position.

4. An ignition switch comprising, in combination, a vehicle control member, a lever pivotally mounted on the control member, a switch mounted on the control member, means operatively connecting the switch to the lever for actuation thereby, a latch pivotally mounted on the control member, means on the lever engageable with the latch for releasably locking the lever in circuit closing position, means for yieldingly urging the latch toward operative position, a pair of spaced disks rotatably mounted on the control member, said disks straddling the latch, a pin mounted transversely on the latch and engageable on the disks for supporting the latch in inoperative position, the disks having notches therein for the reception of the pin for permitting the latch to move to operative position, a ratchet connected to the disks, a pawl pivotally mounted on the lever and engaged with the ratchet for actuating the disks in one direction, means for preventing rotation of the ratchet in the opposite direction, and means for yieldingly urging the lever toward inoperative position, the last named means including a guide mounted on the control member, a bar pivotally mounted on the lever and slidably engaged with the guide, a washer mounted on the pivoted end portion of the bar, and a coil spring encircling the bar and having one end engaged with the guide and its other end engaged with the washer.

NEWELL W. WAGGONER.

Sill 

